Mr. Daniel "Danny" Lee Thompson

Daniel “Danny” Lee Thompson, age 68, of Millbrook, Alabama, passed away on Friday, March 6, 2026. Danny was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 21, 1958, and spent the last 35 years of his life in the Prattville–Millbrook area, where he became a well-known and respected member of the community. Danny began his career in emergency medicine in the early 1980s as a paramedic, serving with City Ambulance, Haynes Ambulance, Suburban Ambulance, and A&A. During his years as a paramedic, he assisted opening Haynes Ambulance operations in Troy and Selma, expanding access to emergency medical services in those communities. His strong love of medicine later led him into urgent care, where he worked as a medical and X-ray technician. Known for his strong communication skills and dedication to hands-on patient care, Danny became a trusted presence among both colleagues and patients. As his career progressed, Danny transitioned into industrial medicine, serving as a safety officer for International Paper and Georgia-Pacific, where he continued applying his medical expertise and commitment to protecting others. After retiring from the medical field, Danny took his lifelong interest in firearms, along with his skills and knowledge of gun repair, to move into the gun and pawn industry. He eventually opened his own shop in 2008 called High Caliber Gun and Pawn. He soon became widely known as the “gun guru” of the area. Local patrons, law enforcement officers, and members of the military respected his vast knowledge of firearms, his honesty, and his willingness to help others. True to his nature, Danny never met a stranger and was always ready to share advice or lend a hand. In addition to his family, his other great loves in life were riding his motorcycle, studying military history (you’ll find many historical items throughout his shop) and supporting charities including the Wounded Warrior Project and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Danny had a deep sense of patriotism and love for his country. His greatest regret was that a childhood accident prevented him from serving in the military. Danny took great joy in coaching football for the Elmore Eagles youth league with children ranging in age from 5 to 13. Although his title was Coach Thompson, the kids fondly referred to him as “Pop” since Danny and his wife, Lisa, opened their home and hearts to several youths that needed guidance, food, clothing or maybe just a safe place. Danny and Lisa enjoyed traveling as time allowed and were able to spend some time in Germany, England and France. Walking on the beaches of Normandy was especially meaningful to him due to the profound historical significance of the area. He and his family shared many memorable trips to Disney and Universal Studios. He could also occasionally be found sitting at a roulette table in Vegas or Biloxi. No memory of Danny would be complete without mentioning his enduring love of animals, animal rescue and The King -- Elvis Presley. In 1977, he was fortunate to attend one of Elvis’s final concerts, held in Montgomery, Alabama. His musical tastes ranged from gospel to country to classic rock. All who knew Danny would say that the core of his being was his strong faith, his loyalty to friends, and his love of family. No words can truly describe how much Danny will be missed or how deeply he was loved. We take comfort in knowing he is watching over us from heaven, reflecting on life and, just as he loved to say, echoing one of his favorite Elvis songs, “I Did It My Way.” Danny was preceded in death by his mother, Harriett Thompson. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lisa Thompson; his father, Bertram “Boe” Thompson of Montgomery, Alabama; three sons, Daniel Thompson Jr. Lexington, North Carolina, Chase Thompson, Millbrook, Alabama, and Jamie Albin (Ann) of Charlotte, North Carolina; his daughter, Reagan Owens of Matthews, Alabama; his sister, Karen Brown (Neil) of Atlanta, Georgia; and three grandchildren, Caidra Lundy (Zack), Tee Cooper Owens, and Crews Owens. He is also survived by his aunts, Isabel Cox, Tampa, Florida, Tessie Hingley of Tampa, Florida, his uncle, Sammy Thompson of Tampa, Florida and several nieces and nephews; and Kim Cosby, a close family friend dear to both Danny and Lisa and affectionally referred to by both Danny and Lisa as “the other wife.” Family and friends will gather to visit, tell stories, and share memories and anecdotes, on Thursday afternoon, March 12, 2026, from 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm at Brookside Funeral Home, 3360 Brookside Drive, Millbrook, AL. This will be followed by a funeral service at 2:00 pm at Brookside Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Mark Pace officiating. The interment will follow at Brookside Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial gifts be made to The Tunnel to Towers Foundation, The Wounded Warrior Project, or the Autauga County Humane Society. Brookside Funeral Home, Crematorium & Memorial Gardens of Millbrook, AL directing.